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Northwest Arkansas

Coordinates:36°4′35″N94°9′39″W/ 36.07639°N 94.16083°W/36.07639; -94.16083
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Northwest Arkansas
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Fayetteville skyline
Downtown Rogers
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
Downtown Springdale
Downtown Rogers
Clockwise from top: Fayetteville within theOzark Mountains,Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art,downtown Rogers, downtown Springdale,Donald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium
Map of Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area
Map of Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Coordinates:36°4′35″N94°9′39″W/ 36.07639°N 94.16083°W/36.07639; -94.16083
CountryUnited States
StateArkansas
Largest citiesFayetteville
Springdale
Rogers
Bentonville
Other MunicipalitiesElm Springs
Bella Vista
Siloam Springs
Centerton
Lowell
Farmington
Huntsville
Area
• Total3,213.01 sq mi (8,321.7 km2)
Population
(2023)
• Total590,337[1](98th)
• Density174/sq mi (67/km2)
Time zoneUTC-6(CST)
• Summer (DST)UTC-5(CDT)
Area code479
Websitewww.northwestarkansas.org
Highest elevation2515 ft/767 m
Lowest elevation800 ft/244 m (sea level) atBeaver Lake.
Part ofa serieson
Regions of Arkansas
Geographic Regions
Metropolitan Areas
Administrative divisions

Northwest Arkansas(NWA) is a metropolitan area and region inArkansaswithin theOzark Mountains.It includes four of the ten largest cities in the state:Fayetteville,Springdale,Rogers,andBentonville,the surrounding towns ofBentonandWashingtoncounties,and adjacent ruralMadison County, Arkansas.TheUnited States Census Bureau-definedFayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Statistical Areaincludes 3,213.01 square miles (8,321.7 km2) and 590,337 residents (as of 2023),[2]ranking NWA as the 98th most-populousmetropolitan statistical areain the U.S. and the 13th fastest growing in the United States.

Northwest Arkansas doubled in population between 1990 and 2010. Growth has been driven by the threeFortune 500companies based in NWA:Walmart,Tyson Foods,andJ.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.as well as over 1,700 suppliers and vendors drawn to the region by these large businesses and NWA's business climate. There are also several large private employers like Simmons Foods in Siloam Springs. The region has also seen significant investment in amenities, including theCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art,theWalmart AMP,and the NWARazorback Regional Greenway.

Etymology[edit]

"We’re like five siblings, if you will, fighting for crumbs that fall off the table instead of joining together with a common voice and say the same thing that this is the No. 1 highway project in Northwest Arkansas."

Uvalde Lindsey[3]

The term "Northwest Arkansas" is commonly used to refer to the rapidly growing cities ofBentonandWashington countiesin the geographic corner of the state. Northwest Arkansas, often abbreviated NWA, has become known as a cohesive region due to the efforts of the Northwest Arkansas Council, an association of community and business leaders formally organized in 1990 to promote regionalization and cooperation among area stakeholders. The first two chairs of the NWA Council wereAlice WaltonandJohn Paul Hammerschmidt.One of the first prominent uses of the region's name came on July 8, 1937, when the newspaper known as theFayetteville Daily Democrat(The Democratpre 1893) was renamed theNorthwest Arkansas Times.[4]Another major initiative using the region's name was theNorthwest Arkansas National Airport(often referred to by itsIATA airport code,XNA), which opened in 1998.[5]Other regional priorities advocated for by the NWA Council includeInterstate 49(initially built atI-540), theNorthwest Arkansas Community College(NWACC), theNorthwest Arkansas Naturalsminor-league baseball team, and theNorthwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway36 miles (58 km) hard-surface trail.

The region is also sometimes known as "the 479"after the telephone area code that serves the region, though theFort Smith metroalso uses the 479 area code.[6]Occasionally, theFort Smith metrois included in "Northwest Arkansas", though it is within the geographically distinctArkansas River Valleyregion and separated from the subject region by the sparsely populatedBoston Mountains.

Geography[edit]

See also:Geography of Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas is located in the Southern United States. It is within theUpper South,characterized by theOzarks.The southern part of NWA is a high and deeply dissected plateau, full of sparsely populatedoak-hickory forest,separating the region from theArkansas River Valleyto the south.

Political geography[edit]

Settlements were initially founded in the 19th century and early 20th century as individual communities, with Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville serving as historic population centers in the area. Growth began during the mid-20th century, a period ofsuburbanizationlargely rooted inautomobile dependency.Thus the Northwest Arkansas cities expanded toward one another along major transportation corridors, in some cases becoming seamlessly connected urban areas such asPrairie GroveandFarmingtonalongUS 62now connected to Fayetteville's southwest side.[7]The transition from individual communities separated by rural or agricultural lands accelerated rapidly in the 1990s and early 2000s, as the population of the region doubled.[5]Cities began rapidly annexing unincorporated lands, especially near the four-largest focal cities, adding an additional 45.5 square miles (118 km2) or 16% of incorporated size between 2000 and 2004.[8]The Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission (NWARPC, the region'smetropolitan planning organization) expanded its planning area to include all of Benton and Washington counties in 2003.[9]Annexations along transportation corridors spurred the need for expanding roadways, including along US 62 southwest of Fayetteville and northeast of Rogers, andHighway 59north fromSiloam Springs.[9]

TheUnited States Census Bureaudefinition includesBenton,Washington,andMadisoncounties in Arkansas. Until 2018, the Census Bureau also includedMcDonald County, Missouri.

Cities[edit]

Partial view of Fayetteville's locally famous Dickson Street.

Fayetteville[edit]

Main article:Fayetteville, Arkansas

Fayetteville is the county seat ofWashington County,home to theUniversity of Arkansas,and the principal city of Northwest Arkansas. As of the2020 census,the city had a total population of 93,949.[10]The city is the second most populous in Arkansas and serves as the county seat of Washington County. It's also known forDickson Street,perhaps the most prominent entertainment district in the state of Arkansas, which itself contains theWalton Arts Center.Blocks from Dickson Street is theFayetteville Historic Square,which hosts the nation's number one ranked Fayetteville's Farmer's Market.[11]Fayetteville was also ranked 8th on Forbes Magazine's Top 10 Best Places in America for Business and Careers in 2007.[12]Business insider named Fayetteville the 2nd best place to live in the South in 2016.[citation needed]

Springdale[edit]

Main article:Springdale, Arkansas

Springdale is a city inWashingtonandBentonCounties. According to the 2020 census, the population of the city is 87,315. Springdale is currently Arkansas's fourth-largest city, behindLittle Rock,Fort Smith,and Fayetteville. Springdale is the location of the headquarters ofTyson FoodsInc., the largest meat producing company in the world, and has been dubbed the "Chicken Capital of the World" by several publications. In 2008, theWichita Wranglersof AAminor league baseball'sTexas Leaguemoved to Springdale and play inArvest Ballparkas theNorthwest Arkansas Naturals.

Rogers[edit]

Main article:Rogers, Arkansas

Rogers is a city in Benton County. As of the 2020 census, the city is the sixth most populous in the state, with a total population of 69,913. In June 2007,BusinessWeekmagazine ranked Rogers 18th in the 25 best affordable suburbs in the South. In 2010,CNNMoneymagazine ranked Rogers as the 10th Best Place to Live in the United States. Two of the city's biggest attractions are the outdoor concert venue the Walmart AMP and the open air shopping mall thePinnacle Hills Promenade.The city is the home town ofAmerican country musicsinger-songwriterJoe Nichols,and Marty Perry, as well as David Noland. It is also where comedianWill Rogersmarried Betty Blake.

Bentonville[edit]

Main article:Bentonville, Arkansas

Bentonville is the county seat of Benton County. At the 2020 census, the population was 54,210, up from 38,284 in 2010 ranking it as the state's 9th largest city. It is home to the headquarters ofWalmart,which is the largest retailer in the world, andCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art.Crystal Bridges, founded bySam Walton's daughterAlice Waltonand designed by world-renowned architectMoshe Safdie,is home to some of America's finest works of art as well asFrank Lloyd Wright'sBachman-Wilson House.[13]Southern Living magazine recently cited Bentonville as "the South's next cultural mecca."[14]

Cityscapes[edit]

  • Bentonville
    Bentonville
  • Downtown Fayetteville
    Downtown Fayetteville
  • University of Arkansas Campus, Fayetteville
    University of Arkansas Campus, Fayetteville
  • Rogers
    Rogers
  • Emma Avenue, Springdale
    Emma Avenue, Springdale
  • Arvest Ballpark, Springdale
    Arvest Ballpark, Springdale
  • Sager Creek, Siloam Springs
    Sager Creek, Siloam Springs

Geology[edit]

The split between theSpringfield Plateauand theBoston Mountainsoccurs in the center ofWashington County, Arkansasvery near Fayetteville. The rough, mountainous terrain south of Fayetteville is the Boston Mountains while the more-habitable Springfield Plateau contains the cities ofSpringdale,BentonvilleandRogersto the north.
Main article:The Ozarks

NWA is located within the Ozark Mountains, a deeplydissected plateauwithin theU.S. Interior Highlands,the largest mountainous region between theAppalachiansand theRocky Mountains.Although the topography varies widely within the region, the Ozark geology is present throughout. Roughly at Fayetteville, the geology splits between theBoston Mountainsto the south and theSpringfield Plateauto the north. TheOuachita orogenyexposed the older limestones of the Springfield Plateau, resulting in a softer terrain, while the Boston Mountains retained steep, sharp grade changes. The Ozarks are covered by anoak-hickory-pine forest,with large portions of protected forestland remaining NWA. Approximately 25% of this forest has been cleared for development and agricultural uses.[15]

Hydrology[edit]

White River at Spider Creek

Most of NWA is within theWhite Riverwatershed, with the western portions being contained within theIllinois Riverwatershed.

Within NWA, the White River is impounded at several locations, the most important of which is at Beaver Dam, forming the 13,700 acres (5,500 ha)Beaver Lake.This reservoir was created in the 1960s for flood control, recreational, and energy production uses. It also serves as the water supply for most of NWA, withBeaver Water Districttreatingpotable waterand selling it directly to the four largest NWA municipalities.

The Illinois River watershed is a sensitive watershed that has been the subject of controversy within the area for many years. Thephosphorusload of the Illinois has been subject of controversy, eventually resulting in litigation between Oklahoma and Arkansas reaching theUnited States Supreme Courtin 1992. TheEnvironmental Protection Agency(EPA) has classified the Illinois as Section 303(d) of theClean Water Act,listing it as an "impaired and threatened water" due to the high phosphorus loads.[16]

Parks[edit]

The Northwest Arkansas region is known for its natural environment, and outdoor recreation.[citation needed]When selecting a name for the newminor league baseballteam in the early 2000s, Northwest Arkansas Naturals was selected in honor of the region's natural resources, including a waterfall in the initial logo to symbolize the region's over 130 naturally occurring waterfalls.[17]The region offers thousands of acres of public land under various agencies, ecoregion type, and function. Despite rapid suburbanization, over half of Washington and 40% of Benton county remained forested in 2015.[18]The region has maintained anopen space plansince 2015, and has considered a sales tax to fund purchases of open lands by the Northwest Arkansas Land Trust.[19]

An expansive trail network has been built across Northwest Arkansas, centered on theNorthwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway,a 38-mile (61 km) primarily off-road shared-use paved trail connecting the region's major cities, employer headquarters, schools, parks and cultural amenities. Upon completion in 2015, the Greenway connected to 68 miles (109 km) of other hard-surfaced trails and over 100 miles (160 km) of soft-surface nature trails throughout the region.[20]Northwest Arkansas has drawn endorsement from themountain bikingcommunity, earning a 'Regional Ride Center' designation from theInternational Mountain Bicycling Associationin 2015, the first granted to a region rather than a city.[21]Mountain biking trail development has continued, adding mileage in the state parks along natural features.[22]

The most popular[citation needed]water destination isBeaver Lake.Beaver Lake has approximately 449 miles (723 km) of natural shoreline, with limestone bluffs, natural caves, and a variety of trees and flowering shrubs. Paved access roads wind through twelve developed parks, all of which have campsites offering electricity, fire rings, drinking water, showers, and restrooms. Other facilities, such as picnic sites, swimming beaches, hiking trails, boat launch ramps, and sanitary dump stations are also available.[23]Nine rivers can becanoed,paddled,or floated seasonally when stream flows permit, including the nearbyBuffalo National Riverand nearbyIllinois River,King's River,andElk River.[24]

The University of Arkansas offers equipment rental and outdoor excursions into the Ozarks for students.[25]

The Botanical Garden of the Ozarksopened in 2007, and includes seasonal plantings in a small area, a wildflower meadow, a lakesidehikingtrail, and a self-guided tree identification tour.

National forest[edit]

Main article:Ozark National Forest

State parks and areas[edit]

Main articles:List of Arkansas state parksandList of Wildlife Management Areas in Arkansas

The region contains three state parks.Hobbs State Park - Conservation Area,the largest state park in Arkansas, is jointly managed by theArkansas Department of Parks and Tourism,Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission,and theArkansas Game and Fish Commission.[26]Devil's Den State Parkis a popular hiking and camping destination nearWinslow.Prairie Grove Battlefield State Parkpreserves the history of theCivil WarBattle of Prairie Grove.

The three-county region also contains two natural areas, Garrett Hollow Natural Area, Sweden Creek Natural Area, and fourwildlife management areas(Beaver Lake WMA, McIlroy Madison County WMA, Wedington WMA,White Rock WMA).

Culture and contemporary life[edit]

Art and entertainment[edit]

Partial view of Fayetteville's Dickson Street.
Crystal Bridgesart Museum looking northwest.

TheCrystal Bridges Museum of American ArtinBentonvilleopened in 2011.[27]The museum, funded by Sam Walton's daughter,Alice Walton,and designed by world-renowned architectMoshe Safdie,is home to a permanent collection of works, as well as rotating exhibits throughout the year. TheWalton Arts Centeris Arkansas' largest performing arts center. It is located in Fayetteville near the campus of theUniversity of Arkansasand serves as a cultural center for the Northwest Arkansas area. The theater was opened in 1992 and was funded largely by the Walton family (ofWal-Mart). The center is host to many musicals, plays, and other artistic and educational events throughout the year. The Walton Arts Center is also home to theSymphony of Northwest Arkansas,currently under the direction of Paul Haas.[28]

TheatreSquaredis Northwest Arkansas's regional professional theatre. Its four-play season and annual Arkansas New Play Fest are attended by an audience of 22,000, including educational outreach program to approximately 10,000 students and their teachers. The company was recognized by theAmerican Theatre Wingin 2011 as one of the nation's ten most promising emerging theatres.

TheArts Center of the Ozarksis the region's oldest community theatre. Since its inception in 1967, the ACO has grown from a small arts organization into a cultural center of regional significance. Located in downtown Springdale, the ACO offers a full season of mainstage plays and musicals, children's programs, visual arts exhibits, and classes in a variety of creative outlets.

The Bentonville square features theWal-Mart Visitors Center.Located inSam Walton's original Bentonville variety store, the Wal-Mart Visitors Center traces the origin and growth ofWal-Mart.The center was created as an educational and informative facility as well as a museum.

Dickson Streetand the surrounding area in downtown Fayetteville is the main entertainment district of the region, located just off theUniversity of Arkansascampus. The area is dense with restaurants, bars, and shops. Dickson Street is home to theWalton Arts Center,theBikes, Blues, and BBQ Festival,and many parades.

Festivals[edit]

  • Bikes, Blues, & BBQmotorcycle rally on Dickson Street in Fayetteville with over 400,000 people attending over four days[29]
  • Since 2015, theBentonville Film Festivalhas taken place in the first week of May. Over 85,000 attendees take part in this week-long event.[30]
  • Since 1974, theDogwood Festivalhas brought around 30,000 people toSiloam Springsand its parks for a 3-day event. Food, crafts, entertainment, flea market items, and KidZone activities make for a fun day for all ages. Held the weekend of the last Sunday in April each year.[31]
  • In 2009, the City of Fayetteville began assisting in the sponsorship of All Out June, Northwest Arkansas'pride festivalfor theLGBT community.The event is considered Arkansas' largest, and is organized by the NWA Center for Equality and the NWA Pride Parade Organization.
  • WalmartShareholder's MeetingatBud Walton Arenabrings over 5,000 employees to Fayetteville from around the world.[32]
  • Since 2011, the World Championship Squirrel Cook Off in Bentonville[33]
  • Battle of Prairie GroveReenactment, hundreds of Civil War reenactors camp and fight atPrairie Grove Battlefield State Parkin December of even-numbered years[34]
  • Format Festival, a festival combining music, art, and technology, was started in 2022 and runs for a weekend in September in Bentonville. Format is produced byC3 Presents,who also started well-known festivals likeAustin City Limits Music FestivalandLollapalooza.

Sports[edit]

View of Razorback Stadium during a visit fromESPN'sCollege Gameday

The sporting scene is large in Northwest Arkansas, primarily due to the presence of theUniversity of ArkansasRazorbacks,Arkansas’ most successful, followed, and loved sports teams. The Razorbacks have a huge economic impact on the area, drawing fans from every corner of the state during football, basketball, and baseball seasons.

The Razorbacks currently field 19 total men's and women's varsity teams (8 men's and 11 women's) in 13 sports. The men's varsity teams arebaseball,basketball,cross country,football,golf,tennis,and indoor and outdoortrack and field;the 11 women's varsity teams are basketball, cross country, golf,gymnastics,soccer, swimming anddiving,indoor and outdoor track, tennis,softballandvolleyball.The Razorbacks compete inNCAA Division I(Division I FBS in football) and are currently members of theSoutheastern Conference(Western Division).

Facilities include:Reynolds Razorback Stadium,Bud Walton Arena,Baum Stadium,Randal Tyson Indoor Track Center,and theJohn McDonnell Field.

In early 2008, Northwest Arkansas welcomed a Double-Aminor league baseballteam, formerly known as theWichita Wranglers,toSpringdale,where they became theNorthwest Arkansas Naturals.The Naturals play atArvest Ballpark.

On July 12, 2023, theUnited Soccer Leagueannounced they have entered a partnership with a group,USL Arkansas,to bringUSL ChampionshipandUSL Super Leagueteams to Northwest Arkansas. The teams will play in a new 5,000-seat stadium set to be built near thePinnacle Hills PromenadeinRogers.

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
184012,151—
185018,50352.3%
186031,71971.4%
187039,32824.0%
188055,62741.4%
189077,14238.7%
190085,73111.1%
191083,334−2.8%
192086,6394.0%
193087,8421.4%
194091,7934.5%
195099,7898.7%
1960101,1371.4%
1970137,29935.8%
1980189,98238.4%
1990222,52617.1%
2000325,36446.2%
2010440,12135.3%
2020546,72524.2%
2023 (est.)590,3378.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[35]
1790–1960[36]1900–1990[37]
1990–2000[38]2010–2016[39]

Northwest Arkansas is the second-largest population center in the state, behindCentral Arkansas.The two regions rank as 105th and 80thnationally by population,respectively. The region is the fastest-growing in the state, and the 12th fastest-growing in the United States, with a 24.22% growth rate between 2010 and 2020.[44]Rather than a central city withsuburbsmodel, Northwest Arkansas emerged as a unified region of disconnected cities that grew and amalgamated over time. Thus, the official Census Bureau nameFayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Statistical Areais simply a listing of the three largest cities in the region at the time of naming.[45]

Northwest Arkansas residents and visitors at the Fayetteville Farmer's Market

Over half of Northwest Arkansas's population resides within the largest four cities, Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville, with each having demographic characteristics congruent with its largest employer. Fayetteville, home to the University of Arkansas, contains the highest proportion of adults over 25 with a bachelor's degree or higher, at 44.8%, significantly above the other communities, and in line with major metropolitan areas. Bentonville, home towhite-collar workersat the Walmart Home Office and the ancillary vendor community, has the highest per-capita income in the region.[45]Springdale and Rogers contain significant manufacturing and construction industries, and a corresponding high percentage ofblue-collar workersand major foreign-born populations.[46]Over 10% of businesses in Springdale and Rogers are Hispanic-owned.[45]

Approximately half of Northwest Arkansas residents are transplants from a different state or country.[citation needed]

Population, land area & population density (2016 Census Bureau estimates)
County
Ref. 		Population Land
mi2 		Land
km2 		Pop.
/mi2 		Pop.
/km2
Benton County[47] 258,291 847.36 2,194.65 261.2 100.85
Washington County[48] 228,049 941.97 2,439.69 215.6 83.24
Madison County[49] 16,072 834.26 2,160.72 18.8 7.26
Northwest Arkansas 525,032 3,163.07 8,192.31 166.0 64.09
Arkansas 2,988,248 52,035.48 134,771.27 56.0 21.62

Race and ethnicity[edit]

The region is less diverse than Arkansas and United States averages, with a 1.9% black population accounting for much of the proportional difference. The national trends of an increasing non-white proportion of the population and migration from rural areas to urban areas has also been seen in Northwest Arkansas and statewide since the 1990s, though the non-white population growth has lagged national averages.[50]Historically, the northwestern half of the state was predominantly settled by whites in small farms forsubsistence agriculturedue to the hilly terrain and rocky soils, rather than the slave-intensive labor ofplantation agriculturetypical in the fertile and flatArkansas Delta.[51]

Northwest Arkansas institutions have placed different priority on diversity within the region. University of ArkansasChancellorJohn A. Whitedesignated diversity the top institutional goal in 2010, seeking to create a campus community in line with state and national averages.[52]The Northwest Arkansas Council listed "Promote racial, cultural, and ethnic diversity in Northwest Arkansas" last among priority placemaking objectives within the 2015 strategic plan.[53]

The city ofGentryhas a dense community ofHmong Americans,many resettled by the United States after theNorth Vietnamese invasion of Laosand subsequentIndochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act.[54]Hmong National Development, a subsidiary of Hmong American Partnership, has an office in Fayetteville andFairview, Missouri,one county north of the official Northwest Arkansas boundary.Gentry School Districtwas the epicenter of cultural conflicts among Hmong, Hispanic, and white residents in the early 2000s.[55]

A 2016 study of blacks and Hispanics in Arkansas cities found median incomes rising for blacks and declining for Hispanics in Bentonville.[56]

Sexual orientation and gender identity[edit]

2018 NWA Pride Festival on Dickson Street in Fayetteville

The Northwest Arkansas Center for Equality has sponsored the Northwest Arkansas Pride parade since 2006. The parade runs from theFayetteville Historic SquaredownDickson Streetin Fayetteville.[57]A state poll in 2017 showed 84% of Arkansans believeLGBTresidents should have equal employment rights, and 78% believing equal rights to housing should be afforded. Arkansan support for equal treatment in adoptions (43%), and gay marriage (35%), were significantly below national averages, 61% and 64%, respectively.[58]Arkansas is one of three states which does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.[59]Fayetteville andEureka Springshave recently worked to provide legal protections for LGBT residents. Fayetteville has worked legislatively and through the court system since 2014 to establish protections for LGBT residents in the city.

The Fayetteville City Council passed Ordinance 119 in August 2014 by a 6–2 vote at 3:20 am, after an extended public comment period, which included testimony from LGBT residents who had encountered discrimination.[60]Ordinance 119 extended protections, including against termination and eviction, and created a Civil Rights Commission to investigate violations. An opposition group gathered enough signatures to put repealing the ordinance to the voters of Fayetteville, who repealed the ordinance by a 52–48% margin.[61]The City Council put a similar measure, the Uniform Civil Rights Protection Ordinance 5781, to a public vote in September 2015, which passed 53–47%.[62]In the interim,RepublicanState SenatorBart Hester,who represents northwestern Benton County in Northwest Arkansas, proposed the Intrastate Commerce Improvement Act in response to the Fayetteville Ordinance, which prohibited municipalities in Arkansas from creating new protected classes in Arkansas.[63]TheArkansas General Assemblypassed the act, known as Act 137.[64]In February 2017, theArkansas Supreme Courtdeclared Ordinance 5781 unconstitutional for violating Act 137, but did not rule on the act's constitutionality, which has been questioned.[62]The ruling drew national attention to Arkansas, and comparisons toHB 2inNorth Carolina.[59]

Northwest Arkansas' All Out June, apride festivalfor itsLGBT community,is considered Arkansas' largest, and is organized by the NWA Center for Equality and the NWA Pride Parade Organization.

2000[edit]

As of the census[65]of 2000, there were 347,045 people, 131,939 households, and 92,888 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 89.70%White,1.22%African American,1.53%Native American,1.19%Asian,0.29%Pacific Islander,4.03% fromother races,and 2.04% from two or more races.HispanicorLatinoof any race were 8.32% of the population. Over the past decade or more, Northwest Arkansas has been one of the fastest growing regions in the South.

The median income for a household in the MSA was $32,469, and the median income for a family was $38,118. Males had a median income of $27,025 versus $20,295 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $16,159.

Economy[edit]

Booming prosperity accompanying a tremendous increase in the area's population has made Northwest Arkansas a recognized economic success. Many migrants come fromNortheast ArkansasandCentral Arkansasto work in this booming area. The state's population grew 13.7 percent between 1990 and 2000, but the two-county metropolitan statistical area accounted for one-third of that growth. Benton and Washington counties grew 47 percent between 1990 and 2000. Almost all of the people who moved to those counties then were from California, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Texas and other parts of Arkansas.[66]Estimates put the two-county population at roughly 373,055 by December 2004. Even during national economic turmoil, Northwest Arkansas has experienced 8.2 percent job growth. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in February 2008 the Northwest Arkansas region as a whole had an unemployment rate of 4.1%.[67]This unemployment rate gave Northwest Arkansas a rank of 41 out of 369 metropolitan areas in the United States. Per capita income in Northwest Arkansas is $31,191, according to the most recent figures from the United States Census Bureau.[68]This is approximately $7,000 below the average per capita income.[68]

Bentonville is world-renowned as a retail capital of the world, as it is headquarters toWalmart.Springdale is home to Fortune 75 companyTyson Foods,the world's leading producer of poultry and beef, and second-largest producer of pork.J.B. Hunt Transport ServicesinLowell,is the nation's largest publicly owned truckload carrier, with international networks in Canada and Mexico.

The region has been noted for its transplants. The area has seen a number of transplants moving to the area from larger metropolitan areas in pursuit of jobs and amenities at a lower cost of living.[69]Wealthyenclavessuch as Pinnacle inRogersand amenities built to cater to transplants to the area have transformed the economies and cultures of Northwest Arkansas's formerly small, quiet towns.[70]Transplants from states like Texas, California, and Colorado have flooded into the area in recent years, leaving cities like Dallas, Los Angeles, and Denver in pursuit of NWA's low cost of living, laidback lifestyle, and natural amenities.

Human resources[edit]

Education[edit]

Cane Hill CollegeinCanehill, Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas has a strong tradition of education. Cane Hill College was founded in western Washington County in 1834; the first college in Arkansas, and Arkansas College was founded in Fayetteville in 1850.[a]Though both colleges are now defunct, these institutions laid the groundwork for establishing theUniversity of Arkansasin Fayetteville in 1871, today the largest and best-known university in the state. Seven of the top ten school districts in Arkansas are within Benton or Washington counties, includingHaas Hall Academy,a top 100 high school nationwide.[71]

As of July 2016, 85.3% of Northwest Arkansas residents over age 25 held a high school degree or higher and 30.9% holding a bachelor's degree or higher. The Northwest Arkansas rates are above Arkansas averages of 84.8% and 21.1%, and near national averages of 86.7% and 29.8%, respectively.[b]

Primary and secondary education[edit]

Northwest Arkansas public school districts range from small, rural districts to some of the largest districts in the state. Among the four large cities, each district contains two high schools, with the exception ofFayetteville Public Schools:BentonvilleandBentonville West,RogersandRogers Heritage,andSpringdaleandSpringdale Har-Ber.These schools, combined withFayetteville(andVan Burenfrom the Arkansas River Valley) constitute the 7A West Conference for athletics, the largest class in the state. The region's growth has led to many new schools throughout the region, including high schools.Rogers Heritage High Schoolwas established in 2008,Rogers New Technology High School,andBentonville West High Schoolopened in 2014.

There are also several private, charter, parochial, and secular schools, includingShiloh Christian Schoolin Springdale.

Higher education[edit]

Old Main,originalUniversity of Arkansasbuilding.

Public library systems[edit]

Entrance of the nationally recognized Fayetteville Public Library.

TheFayetteville Public Libraryis the largest library in Northwest Arkansas. The other libraries in Washington County have formed the Washington County Library System (WCLS).

Infrastructure[edit]

Surface transportation[edit]

I-49 runs south from Fayetteville into the Boston Mountains

The region is mainly served byInterstate 49.A widening of I-49 to six lanes and improvements to interchanges, including Arkansas's firstsingle-point urban interchangeat Exit 85[2],are currently in the final stages[3].Other major highways that serve the area includeUS 62,US 71,US 71B,andUS 412B.

Aviation[edit]

Northwest Arkansas National Airport(often referred to by itsIATA airport code,XNA) is the primarycommercial service airportin the region. The facility opened in 1998, supplantingDrake FieldinGreenland,which remains as ageneral aviationfacility. XNA has one concourse, with twelve gates. The three most popular destinations for the year-long period ending June 2017 wereDallas/Fort Worth International Airport,Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport,andO'Hare International Airport,hubs forAmerican Airlines,Delta Air Lines,andUnited Airlines,respectively.[74]The Northwest Arkansas Council has prioritized attracting alow-cost carrierto the airport, and has had relative success withAllegiant Air,which offers three permanent and three seasonal destinations.

The region has seven smaller, public usegeneral aviationairports, includingDrake Field,Rogers Executive Airport,Springdale Municipal Airport,Bentonville Municipal Airport,Siloam Springs Municipal Airport,Crystal Lake Airport,andHuntsville Municipal Airport.Beaver Lake Aviation, a wholly owned subsidiary ofWalmart,is based in Rogers.

Mass transit[edit]

Razorback Transit bus on thecampus of the University of Arkansas

Two public transit agencies serve the area;Ozark Regional Transitis a general transit agency with around a dozen local routes, plus commuter, paratransit, and special purpose routes.Razorback Transitprimarily servesUniversity of Arkansasstudents, is fare-free, and has a service area limited toFayetteville.It is also open to the general public.

Intercity bus service is provided byJefferson LinesinFayetteville.[75]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^Not the same institution asLyon College,also founded as Arkansas College but inBatesvillein 1872.
  2. ^Calculated using the percentages and overall populations to total for the four-county area.[72]

References[edit]

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  3. ^Della Rosa, Jeff (November 18, 2018)."XNA marks 20 years in business, connects region to the world".Talk Business & Politics.RetrievedJuly 15,2019.
  4. ^"The Masthead Tells the Story, Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, Arkansas) 17 June 1949, p 11".Northwest Arkansas Times.No. 11. Mrs. Roberta Fulbright. Northwest Arkansas Times. June 17, 1949. p. 11.RetrievedOctober 5,2023.
  5. ^abBowden, Bill (August 11, 2010)."Paving the way for 20 years".Arkansas Democrat Gazette.Little Rock. p. 7.RetrievedJuly 5,2020– via NewsBank.
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  8. ^Smith, Robert J. (June 28, 2004)."NW Arkansas is leading state in annexations – Cities looking to grow want voters to decide fate of local boundaries".Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.Little Rock, AR. p. 8.RetrievedJuly 5,2020– via NewsBank.
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  13. ^Ashley, Amanda."Frank Lloyd Wright House dismantled, headed for new home at Crystal Bridges".nwahomepage.com.NWA.RetrievedJuly 23,2014.
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  31. ^Annual Dogwood Festival – Siloam Springs, Arkansas
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  75. ^"Arkansas Bus Stops".RetrievedSeptember 28,2023.
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